Once more with cloning
by Kiwikatipo
Summary: Sweet the musical demon from BTVS is in Seattle during the siege of Terminal City. MA. Some coarse language.


Disclaimer alas Dark Angel and its characters do not belong to me because I would have financed a season three somehow. Sweet belongs to Joss Whedon and this gross plagiarism was inspired by them. It's a tribute to their genius so for god's sake don't sue me Fox or WB.

Timeline: Takes place the day after Freak Nation.

_**Once more with cloning**_

Terminal City

Max woke refreshed from her two hour cat nap and heard the bustle of her transgenic fellow escapees outside the office she crashed in after lunch. Max stretched lithely, got up, and entered the control room. Mole, Dix and Luke all seemed to be running things nicely without her. She looked at her watch and decided to go patrolling with the X7s along the city perimeter.

That evening as she patrolled Max was startled to see a familiar scale the perimeter wall. Max quickly lunged into her normal Kung Fu/girl power stance. The pair began fighting with superhuman strength when to her utter amazement Max started to sing as she fought with him.

Max: _Every single night, the same situation  
I go out and fight the fight.  
Still I always feel in this Freak Nation  
Nothing here's realio, nothing here is right._

A familiar appeared over another wall and rushed at Max. She spun round him and continued singing.

Max: _I've been making shows of_ (she punched) _trading blows  
Just hoping no one knows_ (she kicked, grabbed a familiar and threw him behind her)  
_That I've been going through the motions  
Walking through the scene._

Max pulled a piano wire from her jacket pocket. The familiar attacked her from behind. She twisted around, flipped over to be behind him and proceeded to garrote him. She stifled a yawn as he crumpled dead at her feet.

Max: _Killing gets to be so routine._

She resumed walking, stepping over her freshly created corpse with bored disdain.

Max: _I was always cool, and kind of gorgeous.  
Now I find I'm struggling._

A handsome blonde young man restrained in handcuffs by the wall was surrounded by three more familiars. The familiars spotted Max and went in for the attack.

Max: _Get runes all on your bod, you'll find this cause just_ (she punched a familiar)  
_Doesn't mean a thing_. (then punched the second one.)

Familiar 2:_ She ain't got that swing._

Max: _Thanks for noticing._

A muscular familiar punched Max in the head and she went down. Fortunately Max noticed a gun dropped by an X7 (messy little bat kids) lying on the ground near her. Max lay on her back and twisted her head in amazement as the three familiars began to do a dance.

Familiars: _She does pretty well with the National Guard  
That isn't all that hard_ (Max got up and grabbed the gun)  
_But she's just going through the motions_

Oldest Familiar: _Going through the motions._

Max took aim at the first Familiar and blew his head off.

Familiar 2_: Faking it somehow_. (Max aimed at him but he ducked causing her to shoot the oldest familiar through the heart)

Oldest Familiar: _She's not half the female she-_ (he looked down at his wound) _ow_.

It looked like a bullet through the heart broke the familiars' pain barrier after all.

The familiar fell over. Max continued walking, holding the gun.

_Max: Will I stay this way much longer?  
Or will the runes make me stronger?_

She used the gun to shoot the handcuffs off the young man without looking at his face. If she had she would have got a complete surprise for it was Zack, the unit brother she sent to a farm.

Zack: _How can I repay-_

Max: _Whatever._

Max walked away, and tossed the gun on her back.

Max: _I don't want to beeeeee..._  
(Max jumped up onto a fire escape and then stopped looking around still singing.)  
_Avoiding my ex Logan  
Losing all my sass.  
I can't even see  
If this is really me  
I just want to be able to _

The last familiar leapt for her and she shot him point blank in the head. His brain matter formed an artful mist cloud, obscuring Max from view, then cleared as she sang the final word.

Max: _Surviiiive._

Max glanced down and really looked at the young man in front of her.

"Zack," Max gasped in astonishment, "what are you doing here?"

Control Room

As dawn broke after a routine night spent checking on the X7s and telling them to stop dropping their guns, Max entered the control room.

Pausing shuffling papers around on his desk in an effort to look busy, Luke looked up at her and smiled, "Morning Max."

Mole was filling Zack in on what was happening in the siege and Logan hovered nervously in the background.

Mole sucked on his cigar and graciously acknowledged Max. "Oh, hey, Max, did Joshua get his art supplies so he can paint more fugly portraits?"

Max paced distracted. "What? Oh, uh, yeah. I think so."

Max walked in circles around the control room and spotted Dix reading a book on ancient Minoan.

Dix grinned triumphantly, "Wow, Max, I can now translate anything that appears on your body and I'm hoping something new will come up."

Luke passed by him and frowned. "That's so sleazy, Dix."

Dix looked embarrassed. He had been trying for humour.

Luke went over to Logan and they started to organise new food rationing plans.

Max looked at them desperately "So, uh, no research? Nothing new going on? No new DNA abilities discovered by anyone?" All the transgenics shook their heads.

Max clapped her hands. "That's cool." Oh god, this was going to be another awkward moment in her life. "Uh, so the dealio with ... uh ... last night, you know, did anyone, huh ... start acting like they were in front of a karaoke machine all by themselves?"

Logan stopped entering his data stunned. All in the control room, including O.C. and Sketchy who had just walked in the control room with trays of coffee for everyone, looked amazed and stared at Max.

"Holy crap!" Mole's cigar dropped out of his mouth.

Everyone crowded round Max and began talking at once.

"We thought it was just us!" Mole cried joyfully.

Logan confessed, "Well, I sang but I had my mp3 player going at the time..."

Zack looked at her intently, "It was bizarre, Maxie. We were talking and then it was like..."

"Like you were in a musical!" Max finished for him.

Zack agreed "Yeah!"

"That would explain the huge backing orchestra I couldn't see and the synchronized dancing from the X8 kids I could see out my window." Logan mused.

"We did a whole duet about finding Zack a room in Oak Street." Mole explained

Dix continued, "And we were arguing and, and then everything rhymed and there were harmonies and the dance with bagpipes."

Mole went on again, "There was an entire verse about finding a sleeping bag for him."

"It was wicked whack, dudes." Sketchy commented.

Logan turned to Max "What did you sing about, Max?" his eyes twinkled at her behind his glasses.

Max paused then smiled at him reassuringly. "Not large with memories, Logan. But it seemed perfectly normal."

Original Cindy looked at her nails in distress. She looked at Max firmly. "It was disturbing, sugar. O.C is not down with that, do you think it will happen again? I mean why us ordinaries singing as well?"

Logan folded his arms and looked more like a cute scruffy intellectual than ever. "I don't know. I should look into it."

"Have we checked Max out for any new Runes?" Mole asked Logan quickly.

Max looked indignant. "Hey, I'm here in front of you, Mole-baby, and I haven't got any new runes today."

Mole got right in her face "Well, we just gotta break it down. Look at the factors before it happens again. Because I can guarantee you, Max…"

Logan looked astonished at himself as he began to sing interrupting Mole.

Music from nowhere filled the room.

Logan: _I've got a theory  
That it's Familiars  
Dancing familiars!  
Huh, something isn't right there._

Mole: _I've got a theory  
Some ape is dreamin'  
And we're all stuck inside his wacky Bollywood nightmare_. (Zack started to moonwalk)

Sketchy: _I've got a theory we should work this out._

Dix/Mole/Zack/Luke: _It's getting freaky, what's this frickin singing all about?_

Sketchy: (jumped up on a chair) _It could be nomalies!_  
_Some mutant nomalies!_ (he nearly fell off the chair at the sight of Dix and Max glaring at him)  
_Which is ridiculous, 'cause nomalies they were persecuted,  
exploited, locked away, completely harmless_  
_and I'll be over here._ (Sketchy sat down getting out his pen and paper to write up another story for his tabloid)

Original Cindy: _I've got a theory! It could be rednecks!_

The room went silent as the others stared at her in disbelief.

Zack:_I've got a-_

Suddenly the tune changed to a frantic hip hop beat and a roving spotlight waved crazily over Original Cindy.

O.C.: (rapping just like Missy Elliot)  
_Rednecks aren't stupid like everyone supposes!  
They've got them survival groups and peeling Aryan noses!  
And what's with all the corn?  
What do they need all that corn for anyway?  
_(Moonwalking)_  
Rednecks!  
Rednecks!  
It must be Rednecks!_

Fireworks went off all around her, then the smoke cleared away. The others continued simply staring at her.

Original Cindy: (back to original melody)  
_Or maybe the popos'._

_I've got a theory we should work this fast_

Dix sat quickly down beside Logan and began searching through the internet.

Dix/Logan: _Because it clearly could get serious before it's passed._

Mole got up and went over to drink his cooling coffee.

Max: _I've got a theory. It doesn't matter._

Mole paused in drinking his coffee and like everyone looked once more at Max.

Max: _What can't we face if we're together?  
What's in this place that we can't weather?  
Manticore?  
We've all been there.  
We blew up that  
So what do we care?_

All except Logan:  
_What can't we do if we get in it?  
We'll work it through within a minute._

Max looked straight at Logan throughout this. Logan watched her too and finally joined in.

All: _We have to try  
We'll skip on lunch  
It's do or die_

Max:_Hey, I've died once._

Logan smiled and stood up to tap dance as he sang.

All: _What can't we face if we're together?_

Logan: (descant) _What can't we face..._

All: _What's in this place that we can't weather?_

Logan:. ._.if we're together..._

All: _There's nothing we can't face._

Original Cindy: sat down and sang poignantly: _Except for rednecks._

Mole sat back down again too: "See, okay, that was fucking disturbing."

"Thought it was cool" Sketchy commented. "Like a real good mushroom."

Max paced like a panther once more, "So what is this bitch? What's causing it?"

Logan looked at her sharply "I thought it didn't matter."

Max shrugged and looked down at her outfit. "I'm not crapping myself yet in my minimum wage plus tips catsuit, but there's definitely something whack going down here."

"Well, is it just us? I mean, is it only happening to us?" asked Dix as Max turned to their camera monitors in the control room scanning the Terminal City perimeter. "'Cause that would probably mean our DNA is…"

Max turned up the volume. The transgenics had microphones picking up conversations in the perimeter. In the street jumping over their police cars were the sector police, obviously winding up a huge spectacular dance number straight from a musical.

Clemente was holding an empty cup and sang. "_Starbucks coffee, it closed down!_"

The cops went crazy and sang along with him "_Starbucks coffee, it closed down_!" The sector police threw their polystyrene cups and half eaten donuts in the air.

Max turned to everybody in the control room and shook her head. "It's not just us."

Joshua burst into the control room excitedly. "Little fella! Max will never believe what happened in the soup line just now."

Everyone else felt they could predict what was coming.

"Everybody started singing and dancing?" Mole asked him.

Joshua hung his head in dejection. "So guys in the control room too, huh?" he noticed Max and Zack whispering and talking together.

'So what'd you guys sing about?" Luke asked

Joshua sighed. "Was there rat in the soup?"

Logan looked uncomfortably at the way Zack was looking at Max. Not that it mattered to Logan because Max was with Alec anyway.

Zack nodded, "Yeah I will go for a walk with you, Maxie."

Logan looked surprised "A walk?" he queried.

Max looked annoyed. "Zack and I have a lot of catching up to do."

Joshua looked down on a control room table and spotted what looked like Father's pendant, he put it back on hurriedly. Joshua didn't want to lose that.

Zack and Max walked out into the spring sunshine of Terminal City. Zack had his arm round his little _sister's_ waist.

Max looked at him in wonder. "What made you leave the farm, Zack?"

Zack frowned puzzled as two X8s stared at him pointed, laughed and then ran away. "What are they looking at, Maxie?"

"The temporary grotesqueness of you, fool" Max said affectionately to him. "Half your face peeled off in the fight with the familiars last night, but don't worry, it will grow back."

Zack laughed in relief.

"So why did you leave the farm?" Max repeated. "We found you running with steel heads and I just thought it safer for you, seeing you had no memory of anything to find that job on the farm for you. Logan helped me set it up."

Zack looked at her annoyed. "That was a stupid idea, Max, Logan would come up with it." Zack looked pensive. "Why did I leave the farm? It was because of the smell in all honesty.

Zack: _I spent my time in odours  
with never a peg on my nose  
It didn't seem so bad, though  
that was how farming goes  
But though I bathed at night  
_(Zack walked into the sun and sniffed happily)  
_Something just wasn't right  
It was the awful smell  
Name me another way  
It could go with cat DNA?  
It sucked; I could tell  
Smelling animals pee.  
Couldn't breathe easily. _

Max and Zack kept walking holding each others hands.

Zack: _Stuck in a one horse town  
Surrounded by farming folk,_

_It got me real down couldn't crack a joke_

_But when I saw you on TV  
My memory came back to me._

Zack and Max began waltzing in Oak Street where all the X5's and X6's lived

Zack: _Couldn't hack the smell  
Nothing I could do  
Smelling a lot of dairy cow poo._

A couple of young X6s were standing on the pavement and hanging clothes to dry in the spring sunshine. They got up and begin waltzing in the background with Max and Zack, humming in tune.

Zack:_My memory came back, so gee  
Finally, I knew  
Everything I dreamt was true  
when I saw you on TV_

Young couple: _Ahhh, ahhh, ahhh_ (etc...)

Zack and Max span round faster and faster as Zack sang seductively in her ear.

Zack: _We escaped in 09  
I need you to be mine  
Couldn't take the smell he smiled at the memory  
I much prefer T.C,_ (Max looked worriedly up at him  
_having you near me  
I know your face well_

_From it being on TV  
and in the papers of every city  
Don't make me compete!_

Max knew he was referring to Logan

Zack: _Don't make me compete  
Don't make me compete  
Don't' make me..._

They danced inside the building and Zack tried to kiss her.

Max pushed him away firmly. Max would always think of Zack as a sibling not a lover. "I'm sorry but we were never like that, Zack."

Zack looked at her in anguish. "It's still Cale isn't it?"

Max shook her head, boy oh boy was her charade with Alec coming in handy when it came to obsessed males. "No, I'm going out with another X5 - Alec X5 494."

Back in the Control room Sketchy looked idly at the control camera covering the Oak Street area. Sketchy laughed. "Huh, some walk Max and Zack had. They've danced inside the X5 sleeping quarters after waltzing."

Mole looked up from loading a rifle "What of it?

Sketchy laughed "Max and Zack. You see the way they were with each other? The getting busy vibe coming off Zack? I bet they're…" He glanced at Logan who looked stricken and Sketchy caught himself "Singing. They're probably singing right now."

"She thinks of him like a brother." Logan said to Sketchy firmly.

Alec came into the room after some tactical meetings. "Huh Zack never looks at her like she's his sister. Unless you're a hillbilly," Alec looked appreciatively at an X5 female in the control room and then remembered he was still meant to be acting as Max's boyfriend. "Anyhow, I trust Max implicitly."

Original Cindy looked at Alec and winked. Alec had been real cool about pretending to be her girl's hot boy, it was a pity Max never cut Alec any slack.

Joshua smiled "Very fun all this singing and dancing, romantic too. Joshua hope he sing song soon."

Max and Mole looked at each other in combined horror. They turned to Joshua quickly and informed him "No, you don't."

Logan and Dix looked up from the computer. "This isn't looking good guys" Dix informed them.

Crash

That night in a deserted Crash Druid was dancing across the floor. His expression was scared and desperate. He continued dancing and suddenly burst into flame, screaming.

Druid fell to the floor in front of a pair of feet in red shoes and red pants.

The shoes and suit belonged to a demon in a red suit, with red skin and a pointy chin.

"That's entertainment." Sweet the demon chuckled.

Terminal City

All through the night the inhabitants of Terminal City watched surprised as reports of spontaneous dancing and combustion started to come in from all over Seattle. Dix wondered if it was the apocalypse predicted in Max's runes but Logan insisted it was probably something they'd never thought of yet.

Max and Alec went off to sleep in their room. They were still keeping up the pretence they were a couple to now fool both Logan and Zack.

In the morning Alec woke to Max offering him a ration bar. Alec looked in amazement at Max's sleeping attire she was wearing an oversize t-shirt that had 09 written on it in basketball writing. It was good she was toning down her hotness as much as possible, because Alec didn't want to get out of bed just yet due to his usual morning erection.

Alec started yapping on at her as Max tidied up their shared room looking for her clothes. Suddenly Max started singing, she looked at Alec in despair. Alec smirked at her - this oughta be good.

Max: _Alec is the man I've entangled  
Isn't he fine?  
My crazy scheme to Logan's heart mangle,  
pretending Alec's mine!  
But I'm out of the groove  
On me Alec just can't make a move_  
_The only trouble is_ (Max paused and shook her head)  
_I'm frozen inside_

Alec: _Max is the one  
She can't have any fun  
but she has a great face._

Max returned to his bedside and put out the trash can for his ration bar wrapper. Alec looked annoyed at himself. Why the hell was he singing?

Alec: _I go down in the sewers smelling, like manure  
because she's a hot chick!_

_I'll never let her know_ (Alec put his clothes on)  
_The friendship we've got has started to grow  
There's just one thing that – huh.  
She's frozen inside._

Both:   
_totally frozen inside._

The two of them left the bedroom and walked down the stairs into the street below.

Max: _He's into whores._

Alec: S_he hits me._

Max: _Logan's virus is coz he tricked me._

Alec: _She attempts these stupid rescues that I can't describe_.

Alec indicated the Merman and his mate who had come into Terminal City last week carrying their babies in a goldfish tank.

Max: _I 'm chaste, he sleazes._

Alec: _She doesn't know what please is._

Max:_I kicked him in the balls in a closed cage fight!_ (Alec took her by the hand and started doing a hoe down dance with her.)

Both: _Our fights can be quite scary_  
Alec: _Like she thinks I'm ordinary  
_Max: _Like it's all just temporary_  
Alec: _Like Logan is a fairy_

Both:_But we let it all slide  
Because Max is frozen inside!_

Max: _When things get iffy, he  
Just drowns it all with Whiskey!_ (Alec gave her a filthy look and spun her round viciously)  
_Now look, he's getting shitty  
'Cause he knows that I know.  
_Alec: _She whines  
She's bitchy  
She's also really witchy  
She nev-_

_  
_Max: _His hands are twitchy!_  
Alec:_This is my verse, whoa!_  
_She-_

Max broke away and began to line dance by herself.

"_Oh my God, Alec! I'm dancing like a cowboy_!" Max put her hands on her hips and boot shuffled.

Alec stopped her and made him rejoin him in their barn dance duet that other transgenics were joining them in. Alec looked around vainly to see where the banjo and violin music was coming form.

Both: _You know..._  
Alec: _You're quite the hot chick._  
Max: _My total clever dick.  
_Alec: _You're the cutest of the X5's  
and you're the reason we're all alive  
So I'll keep going down the sewer-  
and smelling like manure!_

They formed a square with the other X 5 and X6 couples and danced swapping partners for a while

Max: _Alec's a pal_  
Alec: _I can't tell her_  
Max: _Logan is my fella_  
Alec: _That's why I'll never tell Max that I'm in love again._  
Max:_I've read this tale  
There's mermaids, then betrayal  
I know there'll come the day I'll want to run again._

Alec pulled Max in close and held her hands as they danced closely together and sang while looking into each others eyes

Both: _I lied  
I said it's easy  
I've tried  
But there's questions inside_

They continued dancing slowly Alec's lips only an inch away from Max's.

Alec: _Is she looking for a virus cure?  
_Max: _Do the sewers really contain manure?_

Alec: _Will our lives end prematurely if I don't act more maturely_?  
Max: _Will I get so many runes even a biker would get the glooms?_

They started to dance briskly again.

Alec: _Am I psycho?  
Am I scheming?  
_Max:_Has Logan compatible semen?_

_  
_Both:_We could really let Terminal City down if we don't let things slide!  
Because Max is frozen inside!  
Because I am frozen inside!_

They walked up the stairs to the control room together.

Alec: _My ass is yours_  
Max: _Go see your whores_

Alec waved off some X7s who were circling them in bewilderment.

Alec: _Nothing to see  
Move it along_  
Both: _She's frozen inside_

With an agile crash they fell into the control room and started screaming at Logan and Dix to come up with some answers damn quickly about what the hell was causing them to act like this. Alec fled the room soon after muttering something about escape tunnel supervision.

Max turned and faced a worried Sketchy and Original Cindy. They had both been singing in the queue to use the bathroom that morning.

"It's a nightmare, dude." Sketchy shared unhelpfully

" It was like we were being watched." Original Cindy said "O.C. is not down with people staring at her when she is line to use the ladies."

Luke came over and nodded "It's like; you don't wanna be saying things…"

"But they just come pouring out in rhyme." An X5 in the control room with them sympathised. "Oh shit look over there, it's happening again."

A heavily pregnant X5 female was screaming at an X5 male when he suddenly burst into song.

X5 Male: _I'm asking you please go  
It isn't right, it isn't fair  
There was no protection anywhere  
I think Renfro wasn't all there_  
(the pregnant X5 pointed to her stomach but the X5 male kept singing)  
_Why can't you let it go?  
Adoptive parents really care_.

Logan came up to Max and pointed out all the cases of spontaneous combustion reported in the news that morning.

"As in burnt up?" Sketchy said amazed. "Somebody is setting people on fire? That's whack!"

" I don't know." Max said bitterly "One more verse of Alec's and my country and western number and I would've been looking for a gas can."

Logan wondered what the hell Max and Alec would sing a country and western song about. "Huh, clearly emotions are running high." He paused and glanced at the cameras outside the perimeter picking up the National Guard doing some kind of group tango. "But even thinking outside the square I can't come up with a logical explanation."

"Okay, Cale," Mole said coming over "But we're sure that the things are related: the singing and dancing, and burning and dying?"

"Seems so." said Logan

As the sun set that evening Max ran into Alec outside the temporary mess hall. "Come to serenade me Maxie?" Alec joked. "I think it would be marginally better than dinner tonight."

"Do you know what's going on yet?" Max asked him desperately.

"How the hell would I know?" Alec laughed amused. "I've seen some weird things today. I visited Gem and the other new moms to see how they were holding out and they were all singing a group lullaby. I got the hell outta there." Alec shuddered "Didn't want to catch cuteness." He took her by the arm. "Come over here I want to talk to you in private."

"Talk or sing." Max asked worried.

"I don't know yet, that's why it needs to be private." Alec's features contorted at the effort not to sing.

Max folded her arms leaned against a wall and waited embarrassed on his behalf.

Alec: _I've lied  
the past two weeks or so.  
I've been feeling like a heel  
Because we aint so_

Max looked down ashamed. Alec was good pretending to go out with her but what was he going to sing about it?

_But why your faking being with me  
I think I finally know  
Whoa, Whoa.  
You're scarred.  
Ashamed of what you feel_

Max shot her head up indignantly

_You can't tell lust from love  
You know you can't deal  
If you're not in an oestrus heat,  
It doesn't make it real._ (Alex pointed to her groin)

Max looked at him frightened of what he'd say next. Alec rolled his eyes in annoyance at Max's continued fooling of herself.

Alec: _Max, great.  
But I don't wanna play._ (Alec walked up to her so he was in her face again)  
_Nor being with you frustrates me  
More than I can say.  
And if I can't have sex you_ (he grabbed her by the arm and forced her to look at him)  
_I'm going to go away_ (Max stared at him wide eyed and shook her head furiously)  
_And find some inner peace._

Alec let go of her and jumped up on a pile of broken masonry, a hard Seattle grunge sound was coming out of nowhere for the refrain. Max and Alec both started in recognition at the music - it had a real Nirvana sound.

Alec: (refrain) _Yeah, Inner Peace  
I could get some sleep_(Alec jumped up a fire escape and stood pacing like a tom cat. Max jumped up and joined him.) _I could find a blonde and screw her_

_In a motel where the rates are cheap  
I can lay my body down_ (he advanced on Max again pulling her to him)  
_But I can't get physical release_  
(he pushed her away in disgust)  
_I need inner peace!_

Max jumped down off the fire escape and went to get her dinner but Alec blocked her path.

Alec: _You know  
I've always got ya back_(he pulled her to him)  
_And you just love to play the thought  
We'll end up in the sack._ (Max looked at him as if to say 'whatever')  
_But till we do I'm telling you_, (Alec stood up and kicked her legs out from under her and leaned on top of her still singing)  
Don't be on the attack  
_And give me inner peace._

Alec: (bridge) _I know there are hoes'  
But I follow you like a male possessed  
There's Zack's heart there beneath your chest  
_(he had her hands pinned under him and completely overpowered her struggles)  
_And you hurt me more than you've ever guessed_ (Alec's eyes pricked with tears)  
_I'm in love with you. You're above the rest  
_(Max turned her head away)  
_But I can see you're unimpressed_  
(angrily) _Don't screw with me._

(refrain)  
_I need inner peace  
Let me get some sleep_

Alec got off Max and pulled her to her feet they began waltzing with the same steps they had earlier in the morning.

_Let me find a blonde and screw her  
In a motel where the rates are cheap_

Max spun round and found herself being lifted in the air by Alec. They could make a reality programme about this she thought - _Dancing with the transgenics_.

Alec: _I can laser my bar code off  
But I can't get physical release..._

_I need inner peace.  
Why can't you  
Let me find inner peace?_

Alec trailed off and stared at her in excruciating embarrassment.

"Whatever, Alec," Max told him. "I'm excusing all that crap you just sang because it's being caused by some outside force. Coming in for a meal with me?"

Alec nodded relieved; for once she was going to pretend nothing was happening between them.

Mess Hall

As the last diners left Joshua and Zack were sitting inside the mess hall later chewing the unappetising slop. Joshua smiled at Zack. "Joshua glad you not mad at Max and Logan for frying your brain and then sending you to live on a farm."

Zack grasped his plate in shock. His last brain neurons' connected and Zack remembered how he had got his memory back before and had tried to kill Logan. That meant Max had sent him to that hideous farm. Sent him to be cheap labour for that boring retired couple, because she put Logan's needs ahead of his. God they were both so dead.

"Sorry, Man." Zack told Joshua. "Gotta blaze."

Joshua sighed he was all alone in the hall again, all alone. He fondled father's pendant.

The dogman opened his mouth to sing.

"_Does any one even notice Owwwwl_?

_Does any body even care Owwwwl_?"

Joshua was taken from behind by six of Sweet's demon minions and carried off.

Crash

Joshua came back to consciousness in Crash lying on top of the pool table. He arose akwardly and found himself doing a strange ballet with the demon minions as he attempted to escape.

Joshua's acute dog hearing heard Sweet's feet begin to do a tap-dance number. Sweet tapped danced down the stairs and advanced towards Joshua

Sweet: _Why'd you run away?  
Don't you like my ... style?_

He snapped his fingers and his red suit turned into a blue one.

Sweet: _Why don't you come and play?  
I guarantee a..._

Sweet reached up to his face, pulled off his mouth and held it in Joshua's face. Joshua gave a yip of surprise as the mouth continued to sing.

Sweet: _...great big smile._

The mouth disappeared from his hand and reappeared in its normal place.

Sweet: _I come from the  
Imagination  
And I'm here strictly by your  
Invocation _(Sweet held up a scroll covered with writing. Joshua examined the parchment closely – the scrawl looked like ancient Minoan)  
_So what do you say?  
Why don't we dance awhile?_

Sweet danced over to Joshua, gestured to him, then danced away again.

Sweet: _I'm the hot swing  
I'm the twist and shout  
When you gotta sing,  
When you gotta ... let it out.  
_(Three minions were dancing in the background)  
_You call me and I come a-running  
I turn the music on  
I bring the fun in  
Now we're partyin'  
That's what it's all about._

Sweet danced towards Joshua and he danced backward.

Sweet: _'Cause I know ... what you feel, dog._

Sweet put his arms around Joshua and they danced together. Joshua looked scared.

Sweet: _I know just what you feel, dog._

Sweet spun Joshua away.

"_Sweet good guy yes, good guy? Bringing the fun in_?" Joshua asked nervously.

Sweet laughed and shook his head,

Sweet: _All these melodies ...They go on too long  
Then that energy  
_(The minions started doing a dance-fight)  
_Starts to come on way too strong  
All those hearts laid open, that must sting  
_(a door appeared beside Sweet, and he reached for the knob)  
_Plus, some customers just start combusting_

Sweet opened the door and a charred smoking corpse fell through it. Joshua stared at it and felt hungry.

Sweet: _That's the penalty_ (he danced back over to Joshua)  
_When life is but a song.  
You brought me down into this town  
So, when we blow Seattle  
Back we will go to my kingdom below  
And you will herd cattle_

Sweet made a gesture and Joshua was naked except for a diamond studded collar.

Sweet: _'Cause I know what you feel, dog_ (Sweet kept dancing)

Joshua: _No, you gross  
You and Josh  
Wouldn't be very regal_

Sweet: _I'll make it real, dog_

Joshua: _What Josh mean  
Josh a human being  
So this dog thing's illegal_

Sweet: _I can bring whole cities to ruin  
And still have time to get a soft-shoe in_

Joshua: _Well, that's great  
But Jos' late  
And needs to be on the run_

Sweet: (kept dancing round Joshua) _Something's cooking, I'm at the griddle  
I bought Nero his very first fiddle_

Joshua: _She'll get pissed  
If Joshua missed  
See, Max is the special one._

Sweet stopped in mid-kick, looked surprised, stopped dancing, and turned to Joshua.

"_The Special One?"_ Sweet said excitedly.

"Yes!" Joshua excitedly barked, finally having made Sweet understand.

Sweet chuckled and turned to his minions "Find her. Tell her ... tell her everything. Just get her here. I want to see the Special One burn."

Gnawing his filthy nails Joshua looked very alarmed as well as lame and gormless like he normally did.

Terminal City

Back in terminal city Logan was in a side room off the control room with Max. Logan held a large riot shield in front of him. Max kicked it in two.

"You're very strong, Max. It scares me sometimes." Logan admitted.

Max laughed she had asked Logan to help her with weapons practise in case she encountered anything new with ordinaries.

Logan started throwing rocks at her which she effortlessly deflected. "We're not sure about what we're facing, Max." Logan admitted.

Max stretched her legs on a window sill "Oh, you'll figure it out. I'm just worried this whole session's gonna turn into a _50 Cent_ video."

Logan felt his glasses steam up at he thought. "Huh terrible. Well, if we hear any misogynistic rap music beats, we'll just lie down until they go away. Separately of course because of the virus and because you're with Alec." Logan collected the rocks again. "How is it going with him anyway? You two seemed tense when you came into the mess hall tonight."

Max frowned. "Alec and I are none of your concern, Logan."

"Right," Logan said shortly

"I really appreciate everything you've done for us transgenics, Logan." Max back tracked swiftly. "Your help is invaluable."

Beautiful ballad music began to waft into the room

Max: _Okay. I'm prepared_.

Logan: _You're not prepared to be my bride  
Thought I could handle but I can't abide  
I know I said that I'd be standing by your side  
But I..._

Logan threw an imitation grenade at Max. She leant backward, lets it fly past her and crouched in shelter position.

Logan: _Your body's to die for and another man to kill,  
thought I'd enjoy it, but I never will  
And you're the reason that I'm standing still  
But I..._

Logan walked back, and threw another grenade; Max kicked it aside in slow-motion.

Logan: _I wish I could say the right words  
To make you dump your man.  
Wish I could be your lover  
And take you by the hand_

(Logan reached out his ungloved hand to Max then pulled it back quickly)

_Wish I could stay here  
But now I understand  
You're standing in my way_

As Logan continued to sing, Zack came in and stood at the back of the room glaring at both of them.

Logan: _Solutions in front of you, you don't bother with at all_

Zack carefully brought his revolver out and aimed it at Logan's head.

Logan: _'Cause you know I'm here to take that call_

Logan walked around the perimeter in regular speed as Max did flips across the centre of the room in slow-motion.

Logan: _So you're with screw up, have you no taste at all?  
But I..._

Max punched a punching bag with Ames White's head drawn on it as Logan walked around her.

Logan: _I wish I could tear your clothes off  
And have sex with you at last  
Wish I could cure the virus  
But now that time has passed  
Wish I could stay here  
Your boyfriend, standing fast.  
You're standing in my way._

Max walked right up in front of Logan shaking her hair out, still in slow motion.

Logan: _You're just standing ... in my way._

Max returned to regular speed and looked at Logan puzzled. "Did you just say something Logan?"

Zack stepped forward from the shadows gun cocked.

Zack: _I couldn't stand the smell  
Max, how can this be?  
Playing with my memory  
_(he went right up to Logan)  
_You know I've been through hell  
Logan, don't you see?  
_(Logan not noticing Zack, stared after Max)  
_There was nothing left of me  
You made me believe._

(Logan turned round and finally noticed Zack, his song overlapped with Zack's last word)

Logan: _Believe me; I don't wanna go_

Logan/Zack:_And it'll grieve Max 'cause she loves us so  
_(Max walked out of the room into the control room oblivious of the drama behind her.)  
Logan/Zack: _But we both know_

Zack led Logan out of the room pointing a gun to his head.

Logan: _Wish I was strong enough_

_To knock the gun from your hand_

_Wish I could be an X5_

_But I'm just an ordinary man_

Zack: _Wish I could trust that it was just this once_

_But I must do what I must_

_We're done and I just_

_I can't adjust to this disgust_

Zack/Logan: _Wish I could stay  
Wish I could stay  
Wish I could stay  
Wish I could stay..._

_  
_Zack slowly lowered his gun and put it away. Cale wasn't worth it, Zack was pissed off at Max really.

Zack went into the control room and had a furious fight with his fellow 09 escapee. All the other transgenics present agreed that sending Zack lacking all memory that he was a transgenic to a farm when White had been combing Washington looking for transgenics, was the dumbest thing Max could possibly have done. Even Original Cindy and Sketchy launched in and said that Max had been stupid.

Alec unexpectedly raced into to the control room, pulling one of Sweet's minions behind him. Everyone turned to look at it.

"What the hell is that?" inquired Zack folding his arms. "A nomalie?"

Alec shook his head. "We're dealing with supernatural forces apparently, go figure. Has a nice little story for Max, don't you? Come on then, pal." Alec shoved the minion forward. "Sing."

The music swelled dramatically as if to introduce a big musical number and everyone in the control room held their breath.

"My master has Max's friend Joshua, captive at Crash 'cos Josh summoned him and he's going to take Joshua to the underworld to be his cattle dog." The Minion informed them in a monotone.

Logan blinked ,"Huh, that is bizarre, what does he really want?" Logan scratched his stubbled chin no wonder he hadn't been able to hack into anything on the main frame.

The minion indicated Max. "Her."

Alec went to smack the minion's head but the minion turned into smoke and then rematerialised in another part of the room to run off.

Mole looked surprised. "He could be an anomaly, didja check for a barcode?."

Max whined frustrated "So... Joshua's in trouble must be freakin' Tuesday."

Zack looked apologetic. "Sorry sis, I just left him alone for a few minutes."

Max patted his shoulder kindly. "It's okay, you have a lot on your mind." Max looked around at the group hopefully "So what's the plan?"

Mole glared at her irritated. "You're our messianic leader - you come up with something." Mole pointed to himself. "The cops and Guards have withdrawn from the perimeter to fire fight but there's no way we freaks could make it to a bar unspotted."

"We'll help." Original Cindy offered to Max.

Max looked at her best friend annoyed. "Aren't I stupid according to you?" Max then sneered at Sketchy bitchily. "You just want to write a story."

Alec looked at Max in disbelief over her colossal stupidity. God, why did he keep volunteering to help her? It wasn't like she put out. "Forget them, Maxie, I've got your back."

Max reminded Alec contemptuously about his previous song to her. "I thought you wanted me to leave you in inner peace. Isn't that what you sang?"

Zack burst out laughing his major rival for Max's heart had sung a soppy song. Then he looked worried, hold on - he had too.

Alec threw a stapler across the room in a fit of X5 pique. "Fine, I hope you foxtrot till you burn. You and the big fella" he stormed from the control room

Raising her head Max beseeched Logan. "You're not offering to come?"

Well we're not dating anymore so it's up to you, Max." Logan said seriously. "My exoskeleton is still recharging at the moment you see."

"Fine!" Max yelled hurt at everyone in the control room. "I'll just rescue Joshua by frickin' myself then shall I?" Max stormed out of the control room. She blurred through Terminal City and jumped over the perimeter fence.

Downtown Seattle

It was crazy in the streets of Seattle, fires were raging, people were dance fighting. Max went to grab a toasted marshmallow off a garbage can fire. Max was always slightly hungry at the moment like everyone else in Terminal City. She almost burnt her hands in her eagerness.

Max: (She sang with her mouth full) I _touch the fire and it freezes me  
I look into it and it's black  
Why can't I feel?_ (she grabbed another marshmallow)  
_My skin should crack and peel  
I want the fire back!_

At Crash, Sweet shoved Joshua into a giant dog kennel and went to sit in a chair beside it. Joshua gave a mournful howl.

Max: (pulling out a baked potato from foil)  
_Now through the smoke, Josh calls to me  
To make my way across the flame  
To save the day  
Or maybe melt away  
I guess it's all the same  
_(refrain)  
_So I will walk through the fire  
'Cause where else can I turn?  
I will walk through the fire  
And let it-_

Alec sat in an alley sharing two of Mole's cigars with Zack. They were also drinking beer.

Alec/Zack: _The torch we bear is scorching us  
Max is laughing, we've no doubt_ (they both swilled their beer)  
_We hope she fries  
We're free if X5 bitch dies!_ (They tossed their cigars away)

_We'd better help her out_. (The two X5 males started blurring towards Crash)

At Crash Sweet was singing.

Sweet: (refrain)  
_'Cause Max is drawn to the fire.  
Some transgenics  
_Alec/ Zack: _She will  
_Alec/Zack/Sweet:  
_never learn._

Zack and Alec blurred down a street. Sweet stood up in Crash.

Alec/Zack/Sweet:  
_And she will walk through the fire  
And let it-_

Back at the control room everyone sat round looking guilty.

Logan: (bridge)  
_Will this do a thing to change her?  
Are we leaving Josh in danger?  
Is my ex just too far gone to care?_

Sketchy:   
What if Max,she can't defeat it?

Mole: _Ordinary chump's right, we're needed!  
Or we could just sit around and glare_. (Mole glanced pointedly at Original Cindy sulking in a corner)

Everyone in the control room stood up and walked towards the door.

Dix/Mole/Logan/Original Cindy/Sketchy/ Luke: (refrain)  
_We'll see it through  
It's what we're always here to do  
So we will walk through the fire_

Max walked through an underground sewer.

Max: _So one by one, they turn from me  
I guess my friends can't face the cold_

_But why I froze, not one among them knows  
And never can be told._

Zack: (descant)

_What can't we face..._

_If we're together? _

The control room group came out to the perimeter fence just as Max's clone Sam was pulling up in an SUV.

"My ordinary husband couldn't take the heat and left me." Sam explained. "Do you guys need a lift anywhere?"

Everyone piled into the van still singing.

Logan: _She's been showing odd behaviour  
_Zack: _First he'll kill her, then I'll save her_

Sketchy: _Everything is turning out so dark_

Mole: _What's it gonna take to strike a spark?_

Sam: _I think this line's mostly filler_

Alec: _No, I'll save her, then I'll kill her_

Sweet:_So one by one they turn to me_

_The distant redness as their guide_

_That single flame_

_Ain't what they had in mind  
It's what they have inside_

Max: _Watching all the new runes_

_appearing on my bod_

_These endless days are finally ending in a blaze_

Sweet: She will come to me

Everyone kept singing in the SUV : _And we are caught in the fire_  
(Max crawled up from the sewer alone.)  
_The point of no return  
So we will walk through the fire_  
(Sam slammed on the brakes to let a fire engine go in front of her.)  
_And let it  
Burn  
Let it burn_  
(Zack and Alec jumped over a fence and approached the front entrance of Crash)  
_Let it burn  
Let it burn!_

Max dropped in through a skylight by rope at Crash and landed on the floor in front of Sweet.

"Showtime!" chuckled Sweet delighted.

Max gasped in horror at the sight of Joshua tied up in a kennel on a stage.

"I love a good entrance." Sweet said appreciatively as Max sprang up and took a martial arts stance.

"Whatever," Max sneered at Sweet in jaded contempt.

Sweet chuckled at her street cred. Max walked up to the stage. "You got a name?" Max inquired bored. "I need to know what to call the ugliest bad guy in my life so far."

"I've got a hundred," replied Sweet.

" Well, I ought to know what to call you if I have to ring in a kidnapping case to the FBI or pound." Max informed him circling.

" Little fella please help Joshua." The freak begged his friend, "Joshua doesn't want to be a cattle dog."

Max smiled at him reassuringly "Don't worry big fella. You're not going anywhere." Sweet looked at her with interest. "I am".

Max put her hands on her hips and addressed Sweet. "The dealio's this. I can't kill you, take me to Hellsville in his place."

"What if I kill you?." Sweet asked Max. "What then hmm?"

"Won't help." Max said depressed. "I'll wake up with Alec's brain inside me or something, still wanting him but feeling bad about it because I should sexually want Logan but I can't have Logan because of the virus and I'll still be feeling guilty about not returning Zack's love."

"Hey for a hot transgenic chick you sure whine!" Sweet said in astonishment to her.

"Could my life suck any harder?" bleated Max. Music started to play over Crash's loud speakers. Max guessed her life could suck harder after all.

Sweet: (He chuckled gently at her_) Come now, is that really what you feel? Isn't life a miraculous thing?_

Max: _I think you already know._

_Life's a bitch  
And we all play our parts  
And when the music starts  
(_She unzipped her biker jacket and dropped it on the floor.)  
_We open up our hearts.  
It's all right  
If some things come out wrong  
_(Max looked over, and saw minions holding pool cues)  
_We'll sing a happy song  
And you can sing along. _

The beat changed to a harsh hard-rock tune with lots of electric guitar. The minions attacked.

Max: _Where there's life_ (she took a gun out of her pocket and shot a minion, she was over her guns are bad phase of her life)

_There's hope  
Every day's_ (she kicked the second minion in the gut)  
_A gift  
Wishes can_ (She threw her knife in another minions brain)  
_Come true  
Whine while_ (She shot another one)  
_You work_

_So hard_

_All day _(she snapped the last minion's neck)

The music in the room went back to the original ballad melody.

Max: _To be like other girls._

There was a screeching of brakes from outside and her crew from the SUV ran in.

Max: _To fit in this broken world_. (Sweet watched her listening intently)  
_Don't give me songs._

Logan realised what Max missed instantly, "She needs backup, O.C, Sam…"

Max: _Don't give me songs. _

O.C and Sam took up positions behind Max to be her backup singers and dancers. The three of them moved in synchronisation.

Max: _Give me something to whine about._

O.C/Sam: _Ahhhhh..._

Max: _I need something to whine about._

O.C/Sam: _Ahhhhh..._

The hard-rock beat returned. The girls danced to it for a minute, then returned to the first dance and the ballad.

Max_: Life's a song  
You don't get to rehearse.  
And every single verse  
Can make it that much worse.  
_(O.C. and Sam stopped dancing and moved to the background)  
(Max blushed bright red as she realised where this song was going to take her)  
_Still my friends  
Don't know why I ignore  
The dozen things or more  
I should be dancing for. _

The music turned back to the hard-rock tune. Max continued to dance alone.

Max: _All the joy  
Life sends  
Clones  
And friends  
All the twists  
And bends  
Knowing that  
It ends  
Well that  
Depends_

Back to the ballad melody.

Max: _On if they let you go  
_(Max looked round for Zack but couldn't find him.)  
_On if they know enough to know  
_(Max walked up the steps to the stage)  
_That when you've gone  
It can be a mistake to hold on. _

Max walked up onto the stage, looked back at the others, and then at Sweet still sitting. He made a string-pulling gesture. Max walked right up to him.

Max: _I had no brain  
No fear, no doubt  
Till Manticore tuned me out  
Of Heat.  
_(She looked back at the others. Logan looked astonished)  
_So that's my refrain.  
_(O.C. looked horrified)  
_I'm a cold bitch  
cause my hormones are excluded  
From heat  
I no longer go in heat _

_So give me something to whine about._  
(Max whirled around to look at Sweet)  
_Please  
Give me something..._

Sweet shook his head. Max gave him a desperate look, turned and flipped off the stage onto the floor. The hard-rock tune returned with the electric guitars playing a wild riff. Max danced, faster and faster. Joshua watched in dismay. Sweet leaned forward expectantly.

Max spun wildly round and round and round, smoke began to curl off her.

Suddenly Alec appeared, and stopped her by grabbing her upper arms. Max gave him a desperate sexually frustrated look.

Alec: _Lust's not a song  
Lust isn't bliss  
Lust is just this  
It's getting laid_  
Alec brushed her hair back from her face  
_You'll get along  
_Joshua broke free of his collar and chain and stood up. O.C. hid her face in Sketchy's jacket at the sight of his nudity.  
_The frustration you feel  
You only can heal  
By getting laid_

_You have to go out and get laid_

_So one of us at least is getting laid_

Max stared at Alec. Joshua walked forward to the edge of the stage.

Joshua: _People are afraid of what's different._

Max looked at Joshua, then back at Alec.

Zack was staring speechless at Sam. He wasn't getting that weird taboo sister feeling he got with checking out Max.

Sweet applauded. "That was a show-stopping number." Alec and Max looked at him in disgust. "Not quite the fireworks that I was looking for."

Sweet stood up, "Well I guess the new hellhound and I should be on our way."

Joshua backed away from him in fear.

" That's never going to happen," said Mole sticking a cigar in his mouth.

Sweet chuckled again "I didn't make the rules, he summoned me."

"Demon keeps saying that." Joshua said "But not true."

"You have my talisman on, Fido," Sweet answered he leaned to touch Joshua's pendant. Sweet looked startled, "Oh sorry my bad, that's not the amulet I'm after."

O.C. called out from the floor. "_Amulet_! You mean this good luck charm I got from Korea-town and dunked in my face mask mixture by accident?"

"Did the face mask have belladonna in it?" Sweet inquired enlightened.

"Yeah what of it, fool? Do you seriously expect O.C. to be your bitch? Don't make me smack you around." O.C said furiously to the demon king.

Sweet gulped terrified "I think we'll waive the clause just this once." He spun round, "Big smiles everyone! You beat the bad guy."

Sweet: _What a lot of fun  
You guys have been real swell_  
(Sweet chuckled and began dancing)

_And there's not a one  
Who can say this ended well  
_(Max and Alec still holding on to each other watched Sweet)  
_All those secrets you've been concealing  
_(Every one else watched the demon nervously as well.)  
_Say you're happy now,  
Once more with feeling.  
Now I gotta run  
See you all..._

Sweet turned into a ball of light that swirled around their heads, leaving a sparkly trail. They watched it go.

Sweet: _...in heeeeeeell!_

Everyone stood around looking shell-shocked.

Joshua walked across the stage covering his private parts with Max's jacket that Dix threw at him.

Joshua: _Where do we go ... from here_?

(He, Max and Alec left the stage)  
Max/Alec: _Where do we go ... from here?  
_Mole: _The battle's done  
And we kind of won  
_Logan/O.C.: _So we sound our victory cheer  
Where do we go from here?  
_Sam/Zack: _Why is the path unclear  
When we know home is near?_

They all moved to stand in a line side-by-side.

All: _Understand we'll go hand in hand they all joined hands  
But we'll walk alone in fear._ They all released each others hands except Sam and Zack, to walk off in different directions.  
Logan: _Tell me!  
_All: _Where do we go from here?  
When does the end appear?_

Everyone made a dance gesture with their arms.

Alec suddenly stopped in the middle of singing "appear"; he put his arm down in horror. "_When the going gets cute I get going_." he murmured to himself and slipped out.

The song continued without him.

All: _When do the trumpets cheer?  
The curtains close on a kiss, god knows_

Zack turned to Sam expectantly and she raised her face.

Max came out of Crash after Alec.

ALL: (faintly from inside) _We can tell the end is near._

Max: Hey.

ALL: (faintly) _Where do we go from here?_

Alec grinned cockily. "You should go back inside, Maxie. Finish the big group sing. Get your Do-lang, do-lang's out."

Max shook her head "I don't wanna."

Alec sighed, "The day you frickin' work out what you do want, Max, city hall will erect a monument in Pioneer Square to commemorate the occasion."

Max shrugged "Whatever, Alec."

"Whoa Max, you don't have to thank me." Alec said. "I know I saved your ass again."

Max: (sings) _I touch the fire and it freezes me._

Alec looked pleased. They walked towards each other.

Alec: _I don't want to play_

_Not being with you  
Frustrates me more  
Than I can say_

Max: _Whine when you work so hard each day_

As they held the last note on "ay" they walked right up to each other. They finished their song and Max launched herself at Alec kissing him passionately again and again. Alec fumbled with her clothes and his clothes to enable them to have sex against the wall.

ALL: (singing) _Where do we go from here?_

**The End**


End file.
